WAYNE, Neb. (May 3, 2008) -- Dr. Terri Monk, a professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., was presented with this year’s Alumni Achievement Award at Wayne State College’s spring graduation on May 3. Dr. Monk delivered the commencement address at the baccalaureate ceremony.

She earned her bachelor of science degree at Wayne State College in 1973, received her M.D. degree from the University of Nebraska and completed a residency in anesthesiology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Prior to her move to Duke, she was a faculty member in the Department of Anesthesiology at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., and at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Fla.

Dr. Monk received a National Institutes of Health Clinical Research Curriculum Award that enabled her to obtain a master’s degree in clinical investigation at the University of Florida. She has also been awarded a career development award by the National Institute on Aging. This award supported her clinical research program evaluating the mechanisms responsible for postoperative cognitive dysfunction following major surgery. Her other major research interests involve blood conservation strategies, geriatric anesthesia, and long-term outcomes following anesthesia and surgery.

Dr. Monk is a founding member and past president of the Society for the Advancement of Geriatric Anesthesia and serves as a representative to the American Geriatric Society's Section of Surgical and Related Medical Specialties. She had the honor of delivering the Rovenstine Lecture at the American Society of Anesthesiologists conference in October 2003. The Rovenstine Lecture honors the memory of Emery A. Rovenstine, M.D., who, at the time of his death in 1960, was considered the most knowledgeable anesthesiologist in the world. Dr. Monk’s lecture topic was “Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction: The Next Challenge in Geriatric Anesthesia.”

The executive committee of the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation appointed her to serve as chairperson for the Data Dictionary Task Force in 2001. The goal of this task force is to improve patient safety and medical communication through the development of a standardized nomenclature for anesthetic terms. She is also the chairperson of the Special Interest Group for the Generation of Anesthesia Standards. Her research in this area is funded by grants from the Veterans Affairs Medical Services and the National Library of Medicine.

The Wayne State College Alumni Achievement Award recognizes alumni for outstanding achievements in their field of expertise, civic involvement and support of the college. Phyllis Conner, vice president for development, and Dr. Richard Collings, president of Wayne State, presented the award to Dr. Monk.